With the final day of group play approaching in the women’s championship, the group standings are mostly set, with no major upsets expected. Group leaders have already secured a direct path to the quarterfinals, while second- and third-place teams will battle through the crossover round. Fourth-place teams will compete for lower rankings.
With most of the major group clashes already settled, Day 3 is expected to be dominated by the favorites. Still, some exciting matchups remain. One to watch is the game between Australia and New Zealand. Even-though the Kiwis have shown much-improved form against Italy and Singapore, Australia remains the clear favorite. But the clash could prove closer than expected.
The Netherlands will face China, who showed an impressive first half against the powerful USA team and are eager to continue improving throughout the tournament. Greece meets Japan in a match for second place in Group C. While Greece is expected to win, Japan’s distinctive and fast-paced style always makes for entertaining water polo.
In Group D, the match between Spain and Great Britain will determine the group leader. Both are undefeated, but the reigning Olympic champions from Spain are the clear favorites. France hopes to earn their first points against South Africa and secure third place heading into the next phase. The USA will close out the group stage against Argentina, while Italy plays Singapore, and Hungary finishes the day with a match against Croatia.
Group A
Australia will comfortably finish on top of Group A after beating Italy. Their exceptional shooting accuracy earned them a well-deserved win over the Italians, who will settle for second place. Day 3 is unlikely to bring surprises, but New Zealand will aim to hold off Australia’s sharpshooters and prove their growing form, while the Aussie Stingers seek to complete the group stage with a perfect record. Italy faces Singapore in a match that is expected to be one-sided. While the host nation showed some improvement on Day 2, they are unlikely to challenge the strong European side.
Group A Standings
Australia – 6 Points
Italy – 3 Points
New Zealand – 3 Points
Singapore – 0 Points
Group A Schedule
July 15th 2025
11:35CET Australia – New Zealand
13:10CET Singapore
Group B
The USA narrowly defeated the Netherlands in the headline matchup of Group B, securing the top spot and a direct quarterfinal berth. Before their crossover round bye, they’ll take on Argentina in a game unlikely to be a major challenge for the reigning World Champions. Argentina, who finished last in their most recent World Championship, will look for a respectable performance. The Netherlands face China in what could be a close contest. China has shown grit throughout the tournament and impressed in the first half against the USA, though they ultimately fell short.
Group B Standings
USA – 6 Points
Netherlands – 3 Points
China – 3 Points
Argentina – 0 Points
Group B Schedule
3:00 CET Argentina – USA
10:00CET China – Netherlands
Group C
Greece vs. Japan promises to be a high-paced offensive battle, with both teams known for their speed and fast transitions. Known for their aggressive offense, Japan will put up a fight, but Greece is expected to overpower the Asian side and close out the group stage in dominant fashion. Meanwhile, Hungary will face Croatia, who are playing just their third-ever match at a world championship. Despite suffering two heavy losses so far, Croatia will aim to improve. However, they’ll face a tough test against group leaders Hungary, who boast elite shooters, a top-class goalkeeper, and tactical brilliance.
Group C Standings
Hungary – 6 Points
Greece – 3 Points
Japan – 3 Points
Croatia – 0 Points
Group C Schedule
4:35CET Greece – Japan
14:45CET Croatia – Hungary
Group D
Group D remains the only group with two unbeaten teams—Spain and Great Britain. They’ll go head-to-head for the top spot, but Spain is expected to come out on top. The reigning Olympic champions have yet to face a true challenge and have all eyes on the quarterfinals in their gold medal campaign. France, meanwhile, will be pushing for their first win of the tournament. A victory over South Africa would see them finish third in the group and qualify for the crossover round.
Group D Standings
Spain – 6 Points
Great Britain – 6 Points
France – 0 Points
South Africa – 0 Points
Group D Schedule
6:10CET South Africa – France
7:45CET Great Britain – Spain
See Waterpolo 360’s Singapore 2025 World Championship Page
Read more about women’s water polo
Follow Waterpolo 360 on Facebook, Instagram and X